We live in a world of increasing demands on our time and attention. When it comes to our personal and leadership development we are often confronted with a task list.
Do more x, Do less y, Learn a, b and c.
Like any form of multitasking, what happens is that we usually don’t consolidate learning in any area.
The disciplines of martial arts, dance, and most sport build the habit of focus. They also build the habit of building upon one area of focus.
As a swimmer I can spend an entire session focused on the right hand pull entry, a micro dimension of the whole stroke. As I runner I am currently focusing on my left foot fall, ensuring I am coming off my big toe. (I tend to roll out my whole foot, so focusing on toe landing may help correct that.)
Given we have so much noise competing for our attention there is value in focusing on just ONE thing when it comes to our personal development.
Focus on that one thing and watch it change and evolve with aligned intention. Keep a focus and commitment on that one thing until it has become embodied in your way of being. Only then choose the next area of focus.
This message was beautifully reflected in this inspiring video of raging entrepreneur Kamal Ravikant speaking at Mindvalley. (It is a 20 minute video worth watching) From the depths of despair after his business collapsed and burned, Kamal chose to focus on loving himself. The book he wrote about this, Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends Upon It has sold millions. Interesting given his audience are mostly male, achievement oriented, hard core entrepreneurs.
Whether it is loving yourself, working on your relationship to money, entering a focus on why you are always late, forming a relationship with your fear, becoming more comfortable with confrontation…no matter what you choose, the point is to choose one thing. Oh and my good friends at Chrysallis have developed app’s to support this type of high intensity focus. (Avoid the temptation to eat from the smorgasbord, and instead choose one behaviour.)
Can’t figure out what to choose? Pick the one that gets your heart rate up and your palms sweaty. That one thing. Choosing that will change your life.
Me…I am choosing to become sovereign with my relationship to money.
What are your choosing?
Photo credit: Diego Sevilla Ruiz via Compfight
